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Spielberg, Jackson talking with Sony about 'Tintin' team

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Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are in the process of lining up a co-financing and co-distribution partner for their trilogy of "Tintin" films, set up at Paramount.

The director-producers are trying to entice Sony, which is in discussions with Paramount, to help finance the films and take on international distribution.

Universal, which entered a seven-year distribution deal with the newly separated DreamWorks — of which Spielberg is a principal — last month declined to finance half of the first film at a $130 million price tag.

At that time, Paramount offered to finance the entire project, but the terms of the offer provoked the filmmakers to look for other options; Spielberg and Jackson are accustomed to large back-end arrangements.

Should a deal close, Sony will not have a role in the creative development of the films.